


Love Is Not A Game

by MagicalDragon



Series: Elysium [3]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Era, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalDragon/pseuds/MagicalDragon
Summary: A few days after the wedding, Joly, Bossuet, Bahorel and Prouvaire have a discussion about love...Takes place between chapter 13 and 14 ofOn the Path to Elysium.
Relationships: Enjolras/Grantaire (mentioned), Joly/Bossuet Laigle
Series: Elysium [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755289
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Love Is Not A Game

A few days after his marriage, Joly was sitting at the Corinth with his husband, Bahorel and Prouvaire, discussing two of their other wedding guests who were both otherwise occupied. Enjolras was with Courfeyrac, talking to workers in Rue de Grenelle-Saint-Honore and Grantaire was doing whatever it was Grantaire did when he disappeared for weeks at a time. Drinking, dancing and brawling, most likely. He had been one of the last to leave their wedding that night, and had rambled his love for them incomprehensibly, with occasional obscure references to an event earlier in the night.

Joly himself had not noticed, but Bossuet had informed him the day after as they rested after several sessions of consummating their marriage. 

Grantaire and Enjolras had kissed at the wedding. Bossuet was certain it had been them, despite the shadows they had hid in. Musichetta, who had shown up to join them on the second night, had not seen the kiss, but had confirmed that she had seen them sitting quite close that night.

Joly leaned forward on the Corinth table, looking at his friends conspiratorially.

“So, my dear friends, did you notice the intimate occurrence between two of the guests at my wedding?” 

Bahorel and Prouvaire shared a look. Bossuet was grinning. 

“No, but now you must share,” Bahorel said. 

“Bossuet, that must fall to you, as it were your eagle eyes that spotted this mating.”

Bossuet’s grin grew impossibly wider.

“Our leader and our skeptic shared an intimate moment while we were all otherwise occupied.”

Prouvaire’s mouth fell open. Shock forced a laugh out of Bahorel. 

“So, what do you think?” Joly asked. 

Bahorel and Prouvaire weren’t following yet, but Bossuet offered:

“A week, maybe?” 

Joly laughed at his lover. 

“A week?” he exclaimed. “God knows I love him, but you have far more faith in Grantaire than I!” 

Bahorel looked from on to the other, a grin spreading on his face as he began to comprehend. 

“You are discussing how long it will take the two of them to talk it out, yes?” 

Bossuet snorted.

“Yes.  _ Talk _ .”

He wriggled his eyebrows at Joly who laughed again. Good grief. 

“Yes, well, of course that is bound to follow… but how long, now that is a good question. Our dearest sceptic, he may be a non-believer in this, too, no? Do you not think it will have to be Enjolras who takes the initiative?”

“Yet Enjolras is so new to it all,” Joly argued. “Surely he will not find it an easy task, either…” 

“Ye of little faith!” Bossuet exclaimed. “Capital-R shall make the approach. He may be a non-believer, but he has been enamoured since they met. He shall not let such an opportunity slide him by!”

Joly shook his head wildly and Bahorel jumped in to protest.

“No, it will be Enjolras, I’m sure of it!” 

“In this, I believe in Grantaire! He’ll get it done in a few weeks time, I know it!” 

“Well, shall we bet, Bossuet? On who it will be? And when?” 

Bossuet laughed.

“The moment I bet, I will have lost, no matter the truth of the matter beforehand.” 

“Oh, so you’re backing down? So strong is your confidence in Capital-R not, after all…” 

“Oh, piss off. Fine. Let’s bet.”

“I want in too!” Joly hurriedly exclaimed.

As they all started talking of what the terms of the bet were — what, exactly, each of their guesses were, how much they were betting, how close they had to be to being correct to win — Prouvaire cleared his throat loudly. Only then did Joly realise that he had not spoken throughout the discussion. 

“How can you speak of love so?!” he demanded, indignant. “How can you make bets? This is a matter of great importance to our dearest friends, how can you treat it like a game?!” 

“Jehan, it is only a bit of fun…” Joly tried.

“A bit of fun? Maybe. But on behalf of our friends! On behalf of love, the greatest of sensations, the most meaningful of emotions! Love, that which drives man towards greater purpose, which allows him to enter the divine sphere — you would mock it so? Love, for which the god Frey gave up his sword, his very ability to defend himself? Frey, he would rather love than fight, for to love is the most sublime!” 

“Prouvaire, it is not that we do not feel its importance, too,” Bahorel hurriedly said. “In fact, we are all so anxious to see them together, to experience that which you describe so beautifully, that we simply must talk of it in less urgent terms to not feel anxious with anticipation! Do you see?”

Joly shared a look with Bossuet. He didn’t seem able to tell whether Bahorel was being genuine, either. Whatever the case, though, his explanation seemed to calm the other Romantic in their midst, for while Prouvaire frowned, it was now in thought, not in dismay. 

“I see…” he said, rubbing his chin. “Then… I don’t think either will start it, they will be let to the conversation simultaneously by circumstance. In… three weeks time. Perhaps a month.”

Bossuet snorted.

“What sort of guess is that?” 

“A more likely one than yours!” Bahorel yelled, causing Joly and Prouvaire to break into laughter while Bossuet shook his head with a smile, good-natured in the face of teasing. 

“Well then, I shall make a record of your guess, too, Prouvaire. Bahorel, dear, what did you decide on for the time frame?”

“In a few weeks.”

“That’s too vague.”

“Three, then. Initiated by Enjolras.”

“And you, Bossuet?” 

“Two, but initiated by Capital-R.”

“And Jehan, you said both? In a month?”

“That is correct.”

“Yes, alright. As for myself… a month, initiated by Enjolras. Now for the wagers...”

**Author's Note:**

> Or, [in other words: ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9VnIL33TvI&ab_channel=racheldoesstuff)
> 
> Prouvaire:  
>  _How dare you play with love? Have you no decency?  
>  Love is what created him, and him, and her, and me  
> How dare you play with love? Is nothing sacred to you, ladysir?_
> 
> Joly:  
>  _I think the word is just "ma'am."_
> 
> Bahorel:  
>  _Love is what unites me and you and him and her and him and him and me as well  
>  JK LOL  
> Let's do this!_
> 
> All:  
>  _Love's not a game, love's not a game  
>  None of us would ever say love's a game  
> That would be bad, you can be sure-a  
> But I'm in the mood to wear this cool fedora_


End file.
